Author: James Anderson

Mayo Clinic Q and A: Moderate alcohol intake has positive effects on heart health, but too much causes other serious health concerns

But it could be problematic for people who have conditions that cause irregular heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation or other types of arrhythmias, or for those who are at high risk for heart attacks or strokes. There is a very clear link between regularly drinking too much alcohol and having high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure (hypertension) puts strain on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. “Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, occurs when the heart’s upper chambers beat irregularly and can increase stroke risk fivefold if left untreated.

There is also no drink, such as red wine or beer, that can be proven ‘better’ than another. The newest evidence suggests benefits for heart health of drinking alcohol are less and apply to a smaller group ofthe population than previously thought. The only group who might see some benefit overall in the UK is women over the age of 55, but and even then only at low levels of drinking – around 5 units a week or less.

But your heart is an important organ that should also be cared for, so be sure to drink in moderation, learn about binge drinking and know what your body can (and can’t) tolerate before opening that tab. For example, some people who are on cholesterol-lowering medicines may experience muscle aches when they drink alcohol. Because alcohol and cholesterol medicine both are processed through your liver, they are, in a sense, competing for clearance. So, it’s important to think about your overall health and talk to a healthcare provider about your personal risk factors. Whether it’s a glass of red wine with your turkey or toasting champagne for the new year, alcohol definitely becomes more present during the holiday season.

In many ways, your medical history (and present) can tell you a lot about your future with alcohol. That means, if you’re living with other medical conditions and/or taking certain medications, this will all have an impact on how alcohol affects you. Medications such as statins that act directly on the liver can cause further damage when combined with alcohol. For a lot of people on long-term medications, alcohol can make the drug less effective.

“Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is the same classification as tobacco,” Manaker says. As such, red wine is grouped together with other liquors, such as vodka. Drinking too much can increase your risk for a host of cancers, including liver, stomach, breast, colon and oral cancer. It raises the likelihood that you could develop inflammation in your pancreas and in the lining of your stomach, and it increases your risk of cirrhosis — a serious liver disorder. All told, drinking alcohol in excess is the third-leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

Learn more about the many benefits and features of joining Harvard Health Online »

This can cause you to develop an irregular heartbeat, called atrial fibrillation, which can increase your risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure. Prolonged alcohol consumption on a daily basis can sometimes lead to atrial fibrillation, where the heart beats abnormally fast and out of rhythm, even under resting conditions. Researchers have found a strong correlation between drinking—even one to three drinks a day—and the development of atrial fibrillation. Any alcohol consumption beyond three glasses a day raises the risk even more, with studies suggesting an 8% increase in risk for every additional drink you consume. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to lower your heart rate that can be done in both the near and long term.

1. If you drink regularly, you might feel like alcohol doesn’t affect you as much, but this usually means you’ve developed a tolerance to some of the effects.
2. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to lower your heart rate that can be done in both the near and long term.
3. If you’re consistently experiencing a rapid heart rate after drinking, that may be a sign that you’ve developed an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
4. Alcohol can have several positive effects on the body’s heart and blood vessels — the cardiovascular system.

But studies have shown that the health benefits of alcohol are generally similar among wine, beer and spirits. A new study has found that consuming alcohol, even as little as one can of beer or one glass of wine, can quickly increase the risk of a common type of cardiac arrhythmia known as atrial fibrillation in people who have a history of the condition. Overall, experts like Trout and Dr. Steinbaum agree that in order to achieve optimal heart health, alcohol should be consumed in moderation. “Take steps to lower cholesterol, control high blood pressure, get enough physical activity, stay away from tobacco and excessive amounts of booze, and follow a healthy diet.

Will alcohol interact with my heart medications?

Your doctor will often advise you when it’s safe to start drinking alcohol again, from a medical perspective. Psychologically, however, many people feel low in mood after they’re discharged home, especially following open heart surgery. In hospital, your medications are adjusted to control your blood pressure, but you aren’t drinking alcohol at that time. Back home, if you start drinking regularly again and your blood pressure changes, your GP can alter your medications. There is certainly no reason to start drinking alcohol if you don’t already.

As discussed, increased heart rate is one of many possible long term effects of alcohol on the body. Increased heart rate can also increase your risk of other conditions. For example, atrial fibrillation is the most significant danger of increased heart rate from alcohol consumption.

Talk to your healthcare provider about how alcohol might interact with your prescription medicines. But it may be worthwhile learning about what counts as binge drinking and whether or not you may be drinking too much and don’t even know it. And if you have a history of high blood pressure, it’s best to avoid alcohol completely or drink only occasionally, and in moderation.

Stop Drinking Alcohol

That said, keeping your heart rate levels normal ultimately boils down to maintaining adequate levels of hydration. When you stop drinking, or reduce the amount you drink, you’ll see rapid improvement in your blood pressure (you should see a reduction within a few days). If you drink regularly, you might feel like alcohol doesn’t affect you as much, but this usually means you’ve developed a tolerance to some of the effects. Drinking can elevate your pulse, which isn’t a concern for most healthy adults, though those with heart rhythm problems should use caution. In short, alcohol can act as a diuretic, which explains why you may need to pee frequently while tossing back some drinks. Additionally, booze contains ethanol which can increase gut movement, ultimately speeding up digestion without giving your gut a chance to absorb water, increasing the chances of experiencing diarrhea.

Senior Cardiac Nurse Christopher Allen finds out more from Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at Royal Liverpool University Hospitals. Regularly consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain and therefore obesity, which is a risk factor for heart attack, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The short-term effects of alcohol (headache, nausea, you know the rest) are easy to pinpoint. But there are ways that alcohol affects your body over time that are important to understand. One of the long-term effects of alcohol on your heart is alcoholic cardiomyopathy. This is when your heart-pumping function gets weaker and your heart gets larger due to changes from heavy alcohol use over a long period of time.

When the episodes occur occasionally, the condition is known as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. You should never consider wine or any other alcohol as a way to lower your heart disease risk. And, in fact, the study also showed that drinking one or fewer drinks per day was related to the lowest likelihood of dying from a stroke. However, Dr. Cho points out that more recent data shows that there may be no amount of alcohol that is truly safe.